Your Blogging Staff

Contributing to this blog:
- "Dave" is Dave Barry, who is a humor columnist and presidential contender.
- "judi" is Judi Smith, who is Dave's Research Department, as well as being interested in men.
- "Walter" is Walter, a bone from the penis of a walrus.

Lab - Chipotle RULES! I used to like Qdoba better (when I lived in Charlotte) but now I've become a Chipotle wh0re. Their barbacoa is to die for. It's uber-casual and almost fast-foodish - but you do get to tell them what to put in your burrito.

Apparently everyone left just before I hit "post" so I'll re-post this here:

Thanks BrianB and Kaf, yes, we left it a little cleaner than we found it (the trip was about 40% "mission work" cleaning up and the like, and 60% touring). Yes, we got out just in time, all that stuff started happening the day we were flying out.

The "adults" from our church are headed out on Monday for their trip so I don't know how that's going to affect everything. Good to be home, not so good to be back at work.

The link to the dog diapers reminded me... You know, I hope I don't become one of those people who send pictures to stuffonmycat.com. I may love visiting the site, but some of the photos are distinctly... disturbing, to say the least.

Okay, if you have even the *slightest* interest in soccer / footie, then the match to see is coming up this Saturday, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time, 7:00 a.m. Sunday, New Zealand, Noon (Saturday) for California.

Brazil play France. And as much as I'd like to see those French bastids get their collective asses beat, it's likely to be the best display of well-played soccer for the entire cup. France and Spain both played excellent soccer yesterday. The French squad is made up of some of the best players from the English Premiere League and Spanish league. The Brazilians are... well, they're Brazil. They are the very definition of The Best.

Four hours early is England vs. Portugal. Another great matchup.

The day before (same times) gives us Germany vs. Argentina for the early match - which will be the highlight of that day. The later match is Italy vs. nobody. I mean Ukraine. Come on... Ukraine? Seriously?

Let me also just add... WTF were Ghana thinking? Off-side trap the entire match? I liked that they were aggressive on offence, but you can't give Brazil that much room without ending up looking really silly! Thanks for playing, and good luck next year.

Yay, MOTW! Though far from fast food, that is our FAVORITE! We regularly eat at (Uncle Julio's) Rio Grande Cafe in Bethesda and Arlington (we met Leetie there for lunch!) and even ate at the Chicago location when we were there last year.

Whatever happens during this round, the next and the final, I'm just rooting for anyone else to win but Brazil. The whole "Brazil is the best!" boasting and preening annoys me. It's like they don't think anyone else can play football. They're mere mortals who need an ego readjustment.
/my 0,02€

That said, I do like Ronaldinho. Força Barça!

One of the French players is from right here in Guiana - Florent Malouda, number 7, as I recall. His family was on TV a couple of weeks ago. He has around thirteen brothers and sisters and is inevitably supporting all of them with his salary.

Perhaps you could then leave the sports commentary to those who... I don't know... watch sports? We tend to comment on the sports and only mention our personal predjudices in passing. For example, I hope those French bastids get their asses handed to them by Brazil because I hate France.

Ted Nugent was being interviewed by a French journalist. The journalist asked: "What do you think the last thought is in the head of a deer before you shoot it? Is it, 'Are you my friend?` or is it `Are you the one who killed my brother?'"

Nugent replied: "They aren't capable of that kind of thinking. All they care about is, 'What am I going to eat next, who am I going to screw next, and can I run fast enough to get away. They are very much like the French in that way."

- I was joking about Mama Fu's and mexican food.
- Sarah J is brilliant! Hate France! Why? Wait, never mind, Lab hates everyone
- Jeff is right (again). The reporter was asking for it.
- I hate France, the team. Not France, the country and all French people. Although I don't care for the French government. French people are, well... people. Yeah, I hate them, too, but because I hate everyone. Equally.
- OTOH, I love French women. Not because they are French, but because... well... they are women.
- I hate french fries.
- I've never had cow tongue, but I'd probably hate it, too.

I don't want to change banks! If I change banks my parents won't be able to transfer money to me online for free. I'll call my dad and have him find out what's going on. re the ATM fee: I only paid it once. I get cash back and buy a bottle of water or something cause it's a lot cheaper (85¢ v $6) My biggest problem with my bank is that it's the Bank of America Except Utah (BofAEU) there is 1 (one!) ATM in the state and no branches. There's BofA branches in Canada, but not in Utah. Pretty much Wells Fargo is the only bank (except for itty bitty local ones.) I don't know why, probably the Utah anti-business laws that drive everyone else away.

I'm definitely not a light sleeper. I slept through a fire alarm once. Sometimes I'm afraid to be the only one home when I'm asleep, that I'll die in a fire or something. I've also slept through (small) earthquakes. The only large quake I've been in was in the early evening, about 5:30 I think. It was, of course, the Loma Prieta quake of '89.

Sarah, there has been a huge boom of Bank of America branches opening all over New York lately. It seems weird after all these years without many, but then other banks (Citibank, Chase, HSBC, North Fork, you name it) seem to be opening lots of new branches too. Do they really need so many?

Jeff... if I explained the thought process that ended with me inserting that statement, you'd back away slowly so as to not frighten the crazy person (me).

But, no. I've not. I'll have to fix that, huh?

Sarah, if you are sleeping so soundly, then perhaps they've gotten to your food somehow. They are putting some chemicals in it to cause you to sleep. I bet you've been abducted by aliens while you slept and you don't even know it!

i just peeked in on the main blog. is it just me, or are about 50% of the posters complete strangers?
yeeks.

El, we're about to break down and buy an air conditioner. it's almost as muggy as Florida over here. (general fyi: most rentals don't have units here `cause it's usually so breezy)
how're you holding up, hon?

I may possibly be getting a new kitten. He's just gorgeous, and very purry, and my friend who got him for her children thinks that her youngest son (18 months) might be slightly allergic (not seriously so, but enough to make a difference).

If we're putting favourite "fast but good food" restaurants in the hat, I also have a non-Mexican nomination (all the Mexican restaurants I know are ful service restaurants). Ladies & gents, I give you Tandoori Palace mmmmmmmmmmm.. *drool* I'm on a real Indian food kick at the moment.. yummmmmmmmmmm.

Okay. Now I'm hungry. There has to be someone to blame for that.

*stashes a pile of puppies in the dungeon* Lab.. if you don't let them breed, how are you going to get more puppies to kick? I'm not letting you move on to kicking kitties. Cos then I'll have to hurt you.

I like my hot chips (fries) with salt & vinegar. I don't think I've ever tried them with mayo, but I've seen it done. It just never appealed. My mother likes them with tartare sauce, which would probably be similar.

oh.. and Sarah - is $6 a monthly charge for ATMs or a charge for each time you use them? Because they only charge a 50c non-bank ATM fee in NZ. That's a LOT of money. Have you considered two bank accounts? One that your Dad can put money into and you can get money out of, and then one that you can use locally that won't rack up huge charges (maybe at WF or somewhere closer). Then you can just close the account when you finish university.

for each ATM withdrawl the bank owning the ATM charges $1-2 and my bank charges $6. It's not a big deal because I can get cash when I get groceries, and most places take debit. The annoying thing is trying to cash checks. I have a WF account (that my parents don't know about) that I use to cash checks. I like BofA's online banking better than WF's, my parents can easily transfer money, and I have it set up so that money from my savings account (which I don't have the numbers for, only Dad does) transfers to my checking account every week, which makes it easier to stick to my budget and keep track of what's in there. And there's a family loyalty to BofA because my grandma worked at one of their first branches back when they wereBank if California, and my mom was a BofA teller.

I was going to link to Susan's station, but I kibbied and it looks like I was beaten by Steven and Sarah.
Just so you know, the link to the live stream is the little text that says "Listen to Braves Football!" under the radio.

I was sick earlier today, and when I posted, all the talk was about food, so I had to leave immediately because nausea was my main problem. But I turned on the a/c around 9a.m. (eeekkk - the bill) and slept most of the day.

Random comments on earlier posts

Lab, Chipotle is great, you can have beef or shredded pork and all sorts of different salsas, etc.

In the Netherlands and Belgium they dip their french fries in mayo, not ketchup - yummy!

*waves hi to cyn*
I'm not doing that great with the heat. It seems like the humidity creeps in the house in spite of the a/c. This is terrible and they keep saying it's almost over, but they're lying.

I see that Toto graced us with an appearance on the MOAT! We should mark this on next year's calendar!!! *snork*

MiK- I like homemade mayo too (but not the icky store kind, blech!!) Mostly because you can put in different herbs, etc to change the flavor, and use different kinds of oil. It's good, in SMALL amounts on sandwiches and stuff.

OK, as the shiny new MOAT opened on my screen, the very first thing that jumped out at me was:

Lab, never had tongue? That surprises me. I love tongue.

Yeah, I thought that one might elicit comments.

I've just been watching the flooding in upstate NY and NJ and Maryland. Incredible rain totals and everything under water, bridges and dams in danger, people being evacuated, even three deaths upstate.

Just dropping by with italian ice (you guys ever had this stuff? It's really good) and a supply of MOATarita fixins' for the housewarming party.

I have survived the first week of school vacation with my screaming maniacs wonderful children at home, and I suppose we are all relatively unscathed, but they are affecting my blogging time much as the end of the school year activity rush did. So as a punishment, I will scathe them soon.

LAB, WOULD YOU PLEASE CLEAN UP AFTER THESE FRIKKIN' YIPPEE DOGS? They're fouling the new MOAT.

Some people!

*kicks Lab, just cause it's been a while, and because the kids are making me cranky*

Gonna actually kick the neighbor's dog soon. Sweet little thing, but crapping in my yard doesn't do it for me. They are "Floridiots" with a summer home. Please people, let the dog out on a leash, not in my yard. I have chased if off with the hose when I am home, but mowing the lawn and stepping around "dog land mines" pi$$e$ me off! Gotta have a "talking to" with the neighbors this weekend, ugg.

El, fix your AC, there should be little hummidity if it works properly. You should not be feeling ill if it is working like it should (then again, if it hits 95 here our AC works like, well it don't work well at all). {{El}}